The invention relates to a process for the preparation of 5-(1-piperazinyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide, characterized in that
a) 5-bromosalicylaldehyde is reacted in a one-pot reaction firstly with a compound of the formula I
Lxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94COOR1xe2x80x83xe2x80x83I
in which
L is Cl, Br, I or a reactively esterified OH group, and
R1 is alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms or benzyl,
and subsequently with formamide to give 5-L-benzofuran-2-carboxamide (II), in which L is Cl, Br, I or a reactively esterified OH group,
(II) is then reacted in a transition metal-catalysed amination with R2-piperazine, in which R2 is H or an amino protecting group, to give the compound of the formula III 
xe2x80x83in which R2 is H or an amino protecting group,
and subsequently, if R2xe2x89xa0H, R2 is cleaved off, or
b) a compound of the formula IV 
xe2x80x83in which
L is Cl, Br, I or a reactively esterified OH group,
R3 is H or CH2R6,
R4 and R5 are each, independently of one another, OR7, OR8, SR7 or SR8,
R4 and R5 together are alternatively carbonyl, xe2x95x90S, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R7)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R8)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OH, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OR7, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R7)2], xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R8)2] or xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94,
R6 is CN, COOH, COOR7 or CONH2,
R7 is alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms,
R8 is phenyl which is unsubstituted or mono- or disubstituted by R7, OR7, SR7 or Hal,
n is 2 or 3,
is reacted in a transition metal-catalysed amination with R2-piperazine, in which R2 is H or an amino protecting group,
to give a compound of the formula V 
xe2x80x83in which
R2 is H or an amino protecting group,
R3 is H or CH2R6,
R4 and R5 are each, independently of one another, OR7, OR8, SR7 or SR8,
R4 and R5 together are alternatively carbonyl, xe2x95x90S, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R7)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R8)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OH, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OR7, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R7)2], xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R8)2] or xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94,
R6 is CN, COOH, COOR7 or CONH2,
R7 is alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms,
R8 is phenyl which is unsubstituted or mono- or disubstituted by R7, OR7, SR7 or Hal,
n is 2 or 3,
which is subsequently reacted in a one-pot reaction firstly with a compound of the formula I
Lxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94COOR1xe2x80x83xe2x80x83I
in which
L is Cl, Br, I or a reactively esterified OH group, and
R1 is alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms or benzyl,
and subsequently with formamide to give a compound of the formula III 
xe2x80x83in which R2 is H or an amino protecting group,
and subsequently, if R2xe2x89xa0H, R2 is cleaved off, or
c) a compound of the formula V
in which
R2 is an amino protecting group,
R3 is H or CH2R6,
R4 and R5 are each, independently of one another, OR7, OR8, SR7 or SR8,
R4 and R5 together are alternatively carbonyl, xe2x95x90S, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R7)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R8)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OH, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OR7, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R7)2], xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R8)2] or xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94,
R6 is CN, COOH, COOR7 or CONH2,
R7 is alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms,
R8 is phenyl which is unsubstituted or mono- or disubstituted by R7, OR7, SR7 or Hal,
n is 2 or 3,
is reacted with chloroacetamide to give a compound of the formula III
in which R2 is an amino protecting group,
and R2 is subsequently cleaved off,
and/or in that 5-(1-piperazinyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide is converted into one of its acid-addition salts by treatment with an acid.
The invention also relates to the compounds of the formula V 
in which
R2 is H or an amino protecting group,
R3 is H or CH2R6,
R4 and R5 are each, independently of one another, OR7, OR8, SR7 or SR8,
R4 and R5 together are alternatively carbonyl, xe2x95x90S, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R7)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R8)2, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OH, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OR7, xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R7)2], xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R8)2] or xe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94Oxe2x80x94,
R6 is CN, COOH, COOR7 or CONH2,
R7 is alkyl having 1-6 carbon atoms,
R8 is phenyl which is unsubstituted or mono- or disubstituted by R7, OR7, SR7 or Hal,
n is 2 or 3,
and salts and solvates thereof.
5-(1-piperazinyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide is an important intermediate for pharmaceutical active ingredients. This is described, for example, in DE 19730989, WO 9857953, EP 738722, EP 736525, DE 4414113, DE 4333254 or DE 4101686.
Benzofuran derivatives as precursors are also described, for example, in DE 19514567.
Processes are known for the preparation of heterocyclic aromatic amines or arylamines, for example from EP 0 802 173, in which a transition-metal catalyst is used.
General amination reactions are described in a review article by J. F. Martinez in Angew, Ch. Int. 37, 2046-2062. Other processes for the preparation of tertiary arylamines using a catalyst composed of a trialkylphosphine and palladium are disclosed in JP 10-310561 (Kokai application), Appl. No. 9-119477 or JP 11-80346 (Kokai application), Appl. No. 9-245218.
A process for the preparation of arylamines with transition-metal catalysis has been described by S. L. Buchwald et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,576,460. Another process for the preparation of aromatic amines from chlorinated aromatic compounds in the presence of a palladium catalyst is described in EP 0 846 676, by J. F. Hartwig et al. in J. Org. Chem. 1999, pp. 5575-5580, or S. L. Buchwald et al. in J.A.C.S. 1999, 121, 9550-9561.
In Tetrahedron Letters 39 (1998) 617-620, M. Nishiyama describes the synthesis of N-arylpiperazines from aryl halides and piperazine with transition-metal catalysis.
Surprisingly, studies in the course of the synthesis of medicaments which are described, for example, in DE 43 33 254 (EP 0 648 767) have shown that 5-(1-piperazinyl)benzofuran-2-carboxamide can be obtained in at least comparable or higher overall yield compared with the prior art, crucial advantages which may be mentioned here being the fact that the reaction is simple to carry out and product isolation is consequently simple.
Another consequence of this is the low solvent and energy consumption.
If L in the compounds of the formulae I, II or IV is a reactively esterified OH group, this is preferably alkylsulfonyloxy having 1-6 carbon atoms (preferably methylsulfonyloxy or trifluoromethylsulfonyloxy), arylsulfonyloxy having 6-10 carbon atoms (preferably phenyl- or p-tolylsulfonyloxy, furthermore also 2-napthalenesulfonyloxy) or alternatively fluorosulfonyloxy.
R1 is alkyl or benzyl. Alkyl here has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms, particularly preferably, for example, methyl or ethyl, furthermore propyl, isopropyl, furthermore also butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl or tert-butyl.
In the compounds of the formula I, L is preferably Cl, furthermore also Br.
R2 is H or an amino protecting group. R2 is particularly preferably an amino protecting group.
The term xe2x80x9camino protecting groupxe2x80x9d is known in general terms and refers to groups which are suitable for protecting (blocking) an amino group against chemical reactions, but which are easy to remove after the desired chemical reaction has been carried out elsewhere in the molecule. Typical such groups are, in particular, unsubstituted acyl, aryl, aralkoxymethyl or aralkyl groups. Since the amino protecting groups are removed after the desired reaction (or reaction sequence), their type and size are furthermore not crucial; however, preference is given to those having 1-20, in particular 1-8, carbon atoms. The term xe2x80x9cacyl groupxe2x80x9d in connection with the present process and the present compounds should be understood in the broadest sense. It covers acyl groups derived from aliphatic, araliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic carboxylic acids or sulfonic acids and, in particular, alkoxycarbonyl, aryloxycarbonyl and especially aralkoxycarbonyl groups. Examples of acyl groups of this type are alkanoyl, such as acetyl, propionyl, butyryl; aralkanoyl, such as phenylacetyl; aroyl, such as, benzoyl or tolyl; aryloxyalkanoyl, such as phenoxyacetyl; alkoxycarbonyl, such as methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, 2,2,2-trichloroethoxycarbonyl, BOC (tert-butoxycarbonyl), 2-iodoethoxycarbonyl; aralkyloxycarbonyl, such as CBZ (carbobenzoxycarbonyl), also referred to as xe2x80x9cZxe2x80x9d), 4-methoxybenzyloxycarbonyl, FMOC (9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl); arylsulfonyl, such as Mtr (4-methoxy-2,3,6-trimethylphenylsulfonyl).
R2 is very particularly preferably benzyl or BOC.
An amino protecting group can be removed from a compound of the formula IIIxe2x80x94depending on the protecting group usedxe2x80x94using, for example, strong acids, advantageously using TFA (trifluoroacetic acid) or perchloric acid, but also using other strong inorganic acids, such as hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid, strong organic carboxylic acids, such as trichloroacetic acid, or sulfonic acids, such as benzene- or p-toluenesulfonic acid. The presence of an additional inert solvent is possible, but is not always necessary. Suitable inert solvents are preferably organic solvents, for example carboxylic acids, such as acetic acid, ethers, such as tetrahydrofuran or dioxane, amides, such as dimethylformamide, halogenated hydrocarbons, such as dichloromethane, furthermore also alcohols, such as methanol, ethanol or isopropanol, and water. Also suitable are mixtures of the above-mentioned solvents. TFA is preferably used in excess without addition of a further solvent, and perchloric acid is preferably used in the form of a mixture of acetic acid and 70% perchloric acid in the ratio 9:1. The reaction temperatures are advantageously between about 0 and about 50xc2x0, preferably between 15 and 30xc2x0. The BOC group is preferably cleaved off using TFA in dichloromethane or using approximately 3 to 5N hydrochloric acid in dioxane at 15-30xc2x0.
Protecting groups which can be removed hydrogenolytically (for example CBZ or benzyl) can be cleaved off, for example, by treatment with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst (for example a noble-metal catalyst, such as palladium, advantageously on a support, such as carbon). Suitable solvents here are those mentioned above, in particular, for example, alcohols, such as methanol or ethanol, or amides, such as DMF. The hydrogenolysis is generally carried out at temperatures between about 0 and 100xc2x0 and pressures between about 1 and 200 bar, preferably at 20-30xc2x0 and 1-10 bar.
R3 is preferably H.
R3 R4 and R5 are preferably methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy or phenoxy.
R4 and R5 are in particular together carbonyl.
In the compounds of the formula IV, Hal is preferably Br.
The compounds of the formula IV and V can also be in dimeric form which can be cleaved back to the corresponding salicylaldehydes, in which L and R2 have the meanings indicated: 
R7 is alkyl. Alkyl here has 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 carbon atoms, preferably 1, 2, 3 or 4 carbon atoms, particular preference being given, for example, to methyl or ethyl, furthermore propyl, isopropyl, furthermore also butyl, isobutyl, sec-butyl or tert-butyl.
In the compounds of the formulae IV and V,
xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R7)2 is preferably xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(CH3)2,
xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(R8)2 is preferably xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94C(phenyl)2,
xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OR7 is preferably xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94OCH3,
xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R7)2] is preferably xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(CH3)2],
xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(R8)2] is preferably xe2x95x90Nxe2x80x94N[(phenyl)2].
The compounds of the formulae I and IV are either known or are otherwise prepared by methods known per se, as described in the literature (for example in the standard works, such as Houben-Weyl, Methoden der organischen Chemie [Methods of Organic Chemistry], Georg-Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart), to be precise under reaction conditions which are known and suitable for said reactions. Use can also be made here of variants which are known per se, but are not mentioned here in greater detail.
Process Variant a)
The reaction of 5-bromosalicylaldehyde with a compound of the formula I and subsequently with formamide is carried out as a one-pot reaction in a suitable inert solvent with addition of a base.
Examples of suitable inert solvents are hydrocarbons, such as hexane, petroleum ether, benzene, toluene or xylene; chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as trichloroethylene, 1,2-dichloroethane, tetrachloromethane, chloroform or dichloromethane, ethers, such as diethyl ether, diisopropyl ether, tetrahydrofuran (THF) or dioxane; glycol ethers, such as ethylene glycol monomethyl or monoethyl ether, ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (diglyme); ketones, such as acetone or butanone; nitriles, such as acetonitrile; sulfoxides, such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO); carbon disulfide; nitro compounds, such as nitromethane or nitrobenzene; optionally also mixtures of said solvents with one another.
The reaction time, depending on the conditions used, is between a few minutes and 14 days, and the reaction temperature is between about 0xc2x0 and 150xc2x0, preferably between 60xc2x0 and 120xc2x0.
The reaction time is very particularly preferably between 4 and 20 hours and the temperature between 90 and 115xc2x0.
Suitable bases are compounds such as, for example, Na, K or Cs carbonate.
A one-pot reaction is subsequently carried out with formamide, preferably in the presence of an organic base, preferably an alkali metal alkoxide, such as, for example, Na tert-butoxide, and its corresponding alcohol, to give 5-Hal-benzofuran-2-carboxamide (II). In (II), Hal is preferably Br.
The reaction is preferably carried out at from 0 to 60xc2x0.
Other processes to give (II) are described, for example, in Bull. Soc. Chim. Fr., 1971; 4329, and by O. Dann et al. in Justus Liebigs Ann. Chem. 1975; 160-194. The one-pot reaction described above proceeds in better yield than said reactions.
The reaction of (II) with R2-piperazine to give the compound of the formula III is carried out in a suitable inert solvent, a base and in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst.
Transition metals which can be employed include PdCl2 or Pd(OAc)2 or other Pd2+ derivatives, which are pre-reduced, for example using NaBH4 or phosphines (the step can be omitted in the case of an excess of ligand R3P) or Pd(0) species, such as, for example, Pd(DBA)2 or Pd2(DBA)3 (DBA=dibenzylideneacetone)
To this range of Pd complexes can be added corresponding ligand complexes of nickel or copper.
Furthermore, ligands which can be employed are N,N-diarylimidazolium salts analogously to J. Huang et al., Org. Lett. 1, 1999, 1307-1309.
The phosphine or aza/phosphine ligands employed include
tris-ortho-tolylphosphine
tricyclohexylphosphine
1-(2-diphenylphosphino-1-naphthyl)isoquinoline (QUINAP)
1,8-bis(dimethylamino)naphthalene
Phe2Pxe2x80x94CH2xe2x80x94PPhe2 
in particular also P(tert-butyl)3=P(t-Bu)3 
1,1xe2x80x2-bis(diphenylphosphano)ferrocene (DPPF as complex DPPFxPdCl2)
2,2xe2x80x2-bis(diphenylphosphino)-1,1xe2x80x2-binaphthyl (=BINAP)
(S)-dibutphos=1-(2-di-tert-butylphosphanylphenyl)ethyldimethylamine
1-(N,N-dimethylamino)-1xe2x80x2-(dicyclohexylphosphino)biphenyl
1-(di-t-butylphosphino)biphenyl
1,1xe2x80x2-bis(di-t-butylphosphino)biphenyl
(t-Bu)2Pxe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94P(t-Bu)2 n=1,2,3
(t-Bu)2Pxe2x80x94(CH2)mxe2x80x94Xxe2x80x94(CH2)nxe2x80x94P(t-Bu)2 m,n=1, 2, 3; X=O, . . .
or alternatively
DBtPF=1,1xe2x80x2-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)ferrocene.
Examples of suitable solvents are hydrocarbons, such as benzene, toluene, xylene; chlorinated hydrocarbons, such as, for example, dichloromethane; ketones, such as acetone, butanone; ethers, such as tetrahydrofuran (THF) or dioxane; nitriles, such as acetonitrile, optionally also mixtures of these solvents with one another.
The reaction time, depending on the conditions used, is between a few minutes and 14 days, and the reaction temperature is between 0xc2x0 and 180xc2x0, normally between 30xc2x0 and 130xc2x0.
Examples of suitable bases are alkali metal alkoxides, such as, for example, Na tert-butoxide.
Process Variant b)
The reaction of compounds of the formula IV with R2-piperazine is carried out under conditions as described under variant a).
R4 and R5 are optionally converted into a carbonyl group. The subsequent one-pot reaction of the compound of the formula V with the compound of the formula I and subsequently with formamide is likewise carried out under conditions as described above. The elimination of R2, if R2xe2x89xa0H, is also carried out under the conditions described.
A base of the formula I or of the formula V can be converted into the associated acid-addition salt by means of an acid, for example by reaction of equivalent amounts of the base and the acid in an inert solvent, such as ethanol, followed by evaporation. Particularly suitable acids for this reaction are those which give physiologically acceptable salts. Thus, it is possible to use inorganic acids, for example sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrohalic acids, such as hydrochloric acid or hydrobromic acid, phosphoric acids, such as orthophosphoric acid, sulfamic acid, furthermore organic acids, in particular aliphatic, alicyclic, araliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic monobasic or polybasic carboxylic, sulfonic or sulfuric acids, for example formic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, pivalic acid, diethylacetic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, pimelic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, isonicotinic acid, methane- or ethanesulfonic acid, ethanedisulfonic acid, 2-hydroxyethanesulfonic acid, benzenesulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid, naphthalenemono- and -disulfonic acids, laurylsulfuric acids. Salts with physiologically unacceptable acids, for example picrates, can be used for the isolation and/or purification of the compounds of the formula I.
Above and below, all temperatures are given in xc2x0 C. In the examples below, xe2x80x9cconventional work-upxe2x80x9d means that water is added if necessary, the pH is adjusted to between 2 and 10 if necessary, depending on the constitution of the end product, the product is extracted with ethyl acetate or dichloromethane, the phases are separated, the organic phase is dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated, and the product is purified by chromatography on silica gel and/or by crystallization.